Rep. Mike Levin Criticizes the Trump Administration’s Announcement to Allow More Offshore Drilling in California
Washington, D.C.—Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) released a statement following the Trump Administration’s announcement to allow more drilling off the coast of Southern California under its new five-year leasing plan:
“Let me be clear: drilling off the Southern California coast must be banned entirely. It puts coastal communities at risk of toxic oil spills that decimate coastal economies, threaten human health, harm marine life, and put critical wildlife habitat at risk.
“The communities I represent don’t want drill rigs off our beaches. Just four and a half years ago, 25,000 gallons of crude oil spewed from a leaking pipeline in Orange County, equaling about 3,000 barrels and harming a 25-acre ecological reserve. This caused environmental damage to our community and put my constituents at risk of inhaling toxic oil vapors.
“My colleagues and I have introduced legislation in Congress year after year that says no to drilling off of California, as well as the entire West Coast. Our communities don’t want this; our state doesn’t want this. Offshore drilling is wildly unpopular among both my Democratic and Republican constituents who have seen first-hand the disastrous impacts of drilling and oil spills.
“The California coast provides such a small amount of oil relative to the potential harm. The coastal economy for us is tens of billions of dollars a year and putting it at risk to please the oil companies is unconscionable.
“I will continue fighting back against this decision to protect my constituents and our economy. California says hell no.”
In April, Rep. Levin introduced the Southern California Coast and Ocean Protection Act¸ which would ban offshore drilling along the Southern California coast. He also co-sponsored Rep. Jared Huffman’s (CA- 02) bill, West Coast Ocean Protection Act, which would ban offshore drilling throughout California and the Pacific Northwest.
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